NRC terminates license for Omaha VA’s decommissioned research reactor

After reviewing the Department of Veterans Affairs radiation survey following decommissioning of its Omaha research reactor, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has terminated the facility’s license and released the site for unrestricted use.

The Alan J. Blotcky Reactor Facility operated from June 1959 through November 2001 for neutron activation of biological samples, as well as training operators at the Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant. In November 2015, the NRC approved the VA’s plan for conducting a final status survey, which must show that the site meets the NRC’s requirements before it can be released without restrictions on public access or use.

The VA submitted that survey and requested license termination in February. NRC staff evaluated the survey, conducted inspections and reviewed confirmatory analyses before concluding that decommissioning was completed in accordance with NRC-approved plans, and that the site meets NRC criteria for license termination.